First announce £5m investment in 22 new South Yorkshire buses

Bus passengers will travel in style after a major South Yorkshire operator announced a £5million investment in new vehicles.

First confirmed it was investing in its fleet this year which will mean 22 new vehicles rolled out across South Yorkshire.

The new double-deck Wrightbus Streetdeck vehicles will all come fitted with leather seats, CCTV and Wi-Fi providing customers with free internet access during their journey.

In addition to the dedicated space for wheelchair users, First will also provide extra space for pushchairs.

First said the new vehicles will enter service later this year on the X78 route between Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster with a brand new interior and exterior design.

The new buses, manufactured by Wrightbus in Northern Ireland, are all Department for Transport ‘low carbon certified’, making them among the most fuel efficient buses on the market.

Ben Gilligan, managing director of First in South Yorkshire, said: “Our investment of over £5million in 22 new vehicles is great news for our customers and underlines our continuing determination to provide ever better bus services in our area and encourage more people to travel by bus.

“These new vehicles will be among the best and most eco-friendly in South Yorkshire.

“Passengers can enjoy pleasant, more comfortable journeys and keep connected on the move with our free Wi-Fi, while we support the efforts of our local authority partners to improve air quality for all.”

The cash put in South Yorkshire forms part of a bigger £77.7million by FirstGroup’s UK bus division of 385 new vehicles in the current financial year.